I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy - Chapter 26

Baek Hana was quite startled.

A pretty girl, who seemed to be close to the man who had mocked the precious name given to her by Woo-jin and had just slapped him across the cheek, was now standing next to her.

“I really have nothing to do with that guy over there.”

Nam Seo-hee, with her elegant black hair, which reached down to her waist, neatly tied up, once again asserted her innocence to Baek Hana.

However, the first to react was not Baek Hana, but the supervisor standing in front of them.

“Nam Seo-hee, the examinee. It seems we need a little explanation here. Causing a disturbance in the exam venue will affect your evaluation, and if the reason is not valid, you may even be disqualified.”

Disqualification.

Baek Hana’s gaze, which had been on Nam Seo-hee, shifted to the supervisor.

If she lost her chance to take the exam, she would also lose the opportunity to hug that fluffy tail, so she couldn’t afford to let that happen.

The problem was that she didn’t have a plausible excuse to give to the supervisor.

The white-haired girl hadn’t started the trouble, and it was impossible to prove that the guy, who had fainted from a single slap, had insulted the girl standing in front of him.

From the reaction, it seemed that the guy had heard it, but the question was whether the supervisor would believe it.

‘…… I was too hasty.’

For the first time in her life, she had wanted something, and in her anxiety about possibly losing it, she had acted without thinking of the consequences.

-We’ll resume the test, so please focus.
-Seo Tae-woong, the examinee. Please enter.

Fortunately, the other supervisors, who had stopped the test in their respective zones, resumed the test, diverting the attention away from them.

However, the supervisor in charge of Nam Seo-hee was still looking at her, and when she didn’t respond, he called her name again.

“Nam Seo-hee, the examinee?”
“That’s—”

As the supervisor waited for Nam Seo-hee’s response, she and Nam Seo-hee, who was racking her brains, turned to look at Baek Hana at the same time.

Baek Hana, with her triangular white ears standing erect on her head, looked at the supervisor and said:

“It’s because of me.”
“…… I don’t quite understand.”

The supervisor frowned slightly, seeking a more detailed explanation.

Baek Hana was about to continue when—

“Professor Shin.”

Another woman appeared, calling out to the supervisor.

Baek Hana and Nam Seo-hee recognized her as another professor at the Academy, as she wore a sky-blue ring on her finger.

“…… I understand.”
“Then.”

The sky-blue ring. Kang Hana, who had been carrying Park Cheol-min like a sack of rice on her shoulder, quickly returned the way she had come.

“…… Baek Hana, the examinee, thank you for your hard work. The results will be sent by email, so please leave now.”
“Yes. Thank you for your hard work.”

Baek Hana, who had overheard the conversation between the supervisor and Professor Shin due to her extremely high conversion rate, decided not to stir up trouble and quickly turned away.

“Wait a moment.”
“……?”

Baek Hana, who had turned around, stopped at Nam Seo-hee’s call and turned her head slightly.

“I’ll be quick, so just wait a moment.”
“…… Why?”
“I want to clear up the misunderstanding and have something to say.”
“Nam Seo-hee, the examinee.”

The supervisor called her name, and Nam Seo-hee, who had been looking at Baek Hana, turned towards the summoner and said:

“It’ll just be a moment.”

Then, without waiting for Baek Hana’s response, she picked up the test sword that was prepared next to the glass door and entered the summoner.

The supervisor pressed a button on the tablet and said:

“You can challenge any stage from the first to the fifth, or you can choose the stage you want.”

-I’ll go with the fourth stage.

There was a hint of urgency in Nam Seo-hee’s voice, and the supervisor sighed softly and manipulated the tablet.

Soon, blue particles gathered in front of Nam Seo-hee and quickly formed the shape of a two-headed dog with a hideous appearance.

-Beep!!

As the sound signaled the start, the two-headed dog, with its bones exposed through its leathery skin, bared its sharp teeth and began to drool at Nam Seo-hee.

The two-headed dog, with its hideous appearance, had excellent mobility and was known for targeting its opponents’ backs.

Moreover, due to its two heads, if one was not careful, an attack aimed at one head could be blocked by the other, and one might end up being hit by the other head.

For this reason, it was known as a monster that required extra caution from awakeners who handled gauntlets or swords.

The fully formed two-headed dog glared at Nam Seo-hee, who was stuck against the wall, and waited for an opportunity to strike.

Nam Seo-hee, without any preparation, held the sword in reverse and threw it at the two-headed dog.

Boom—!!

The sword, imbued with a slight amount of magic energy, flew in a straight line, piercing the body of the two-headed dog and striking the glass wall of the summoner before falling to the floor.

It all happened in an instant.

The supervisor, who had been frowning, was slightly startled as he watched the two-headed dog, now just particles of light, disappear.

“Stage 5. Would you like to challenge it?”

-No, I’ll pass.

Nam Seo-hee, without any hesitation, retrieved the sword and quickly left the summoner.

“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Yes. The results will be sent by email.”

Nam Seo-hee bowed slightly to the supervisor and turned away. She quickly looked for Baek Hana and found her standing a short distance from where she had been before, next to the exit.

The white-haired girl’s triangular ears and fluffy tail, which had been so fluffy, had completely disappeared.

But Nam Seo-hee soon regained her composure and approached Baek Hana.

It wasn’t that they had never existed, but that they had been hidden, so with a little effort, she could hug that fluffy tail.

“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”

At Baek Hana’s suggestion, Nam Seo-hee nodded.
She, too, didn’t like crowded places.

Moreover, after the incident with Park Cheol-min, some people were looking their way, which was irritating her.

As the two of them walked out of the exit—

“Huh?”
“…… Hmm?”

Maria and Edyn, who had been waiting outside for Baek Hana, looked at Nam Seo-hee, who had come out with her, and blinked.

“…… Seo—”

Squeak—!!

“……?!”
“Shut up, please.”

Edyn let out a silent scream and twisted her body, and Maria pushed her aside, approaching Nam Seo-hee and Baek Hana.

“My name is Nam Seo-hee.”
“…… I’m Maria, and that idiot over there is Edyn.”

Maria held out her hand first and introduced herself as she shook hands with Nam Seo-hee.

“…… How did this happen?”
“I don’t know. She suddenly said she had something to say and asked me to wait.”

Baek Hana didn’t mention the incident with Park Cheol-min because she knew it was a misunderstanding.

“Then… let’s go to the Temple. There are too many people passing by here.”
“Why not just go home…?”

Baek Hana tilted her head, and Maria sighed softly and replied:

“Are you taking her with you?”
“…… Is that okay?”

Only Claire had ever been known to clear the Infinite Labyrinth.
This was because Baek Hana, Maria, and Edyn had all worn cloaks

Baek Hana followed, and Nam Seo-hee followed behind her.

Squeak—!!

“Kyaa?!”
“Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Let’s go quickly.”
“Damn……”

Maria glared at Edyn, who was running after Baek Hana, and quietly followed behind.

**

Nam Seo-hee, who had followed Baek Hana, was having a hard time accepting the current situation.

Baek Hana suddenly took out a white cloth from her pocket and put it on her head, and then she put one on herself as well.

Up to this point, it was fine.
It was just a matter of accepting that she was a little unusual.

The problem was what happened after they put on the cloth.

“Come in.”

The Infinite Labyrinth.

Nam Seo-hee knew about it because it was so famous.

“…… Excuse me.”

So, it was hard to understand.

That she had passed through the Infinite Labyrinth.
That at the end of it was not a special artifact, but a small mansion where people lived.

“Did we do that too?”
“You even drooled.”
“…… Jerk.”

Maria and Edyn took off their shoes and entered the house, and Nam Seo-hee, who had finally come to her senses, stepped inside as well.

The first thing Baek Hana did when she returned home was to wash her hands. Of course, Maria and Edyn also washed their hands, and Nam Seo-hee followed suit.

“So, what did you want to say?”

The four of them, with clean hands, entered Baek Hana’s room.

Nam Seo-hee, sitting on the bed, opened her mouth at Baek Hana’s question.

“First of all, let me say again that I had never met that guy before today.”
“Okay. I believe you.”
“…… Thank you.”

At Baek Hana’s easy acceptance of her innocence, Nam Seo-hee moistened her lips and continued:

“It may be sudden, but… I’d like to be your friend.”
“Friend?”
“Friend.”

Nam Seo-hee anxiously watched Baek Hana’s lips as she waited for her response.

“I don’t mind, but……”
“Thank you. Can I have your number?”
“Huh? Oh, um, sure.”

Nam Seo-hee quickly offered her phone, and Baek Hana gave her number without hesitation.

Nam Seo-hee quickly sent an email to her number.

“That’s my number.”
“Oh…… okay.”

While Baek Hana was registering Nam Seo-hee’s number in her contacts, Maria, who was watching from the side, spoke to Nam Seo-hee.

“If you’re friends with Hana, then we’re friends too.”
“…… Yeah.”

Nam Seo-hee knew that Maria and Edyn were apprentice priests from the Temple, as they had mentioned it earlier at the exit.

“Then……”

Just as Nam Seo-hee was about to get up, having achieved her goal for the day—

“Wait a moment.”
“……?”

Maria grabbed Nam Seo-hee’s wrist and smiled.

“Do you need to leave early?”
“…… Not really…..”

At Nam Seo-hee’s response, Maria sat her back down on the bed and took out her phone.

“Then let’s play a little longer. Is that okay, Hana?”
“Hmm? Yeah, sure.”

At Baek Hana’s permission, Nam Seo-hee hesitated for a moment before nodding.

There was no reason to refuse the opportunity to make friends with them.

However, there was one thing she had overlooked.

“Seo-hee, do you play games or anything?”
“…… No.”
“Really? Then there’s this game called The Guild, and we just started playing it. We’re still beginners, so……”

Maria was very talkative and proactive.

**

“Damn. What’s so unsatisfactory about it?”
“I wouldn’t work with you either.”
“Yeah, your face.”
“…… Arrogant.”

Nam Seo-hee, who had somehow ended up in the middle of Maria and Edyn, was now playing The Guild with them.

And Baek Hana, leaning her head against Nam Seo-hee’s back, was also playing the game.

“……!!”

In the middle of their enjoyable gaming session, Baek Hana suddenly jumped up from the bed and ran out of the room.

“…… What’s wrong?”
“The Professor is here.”
“…… Professor…?”
“You too, come out.”

Nam Seo-hee followed Edyn out to the entrance hall.

There, they met Baek Woo-jin, who was exuding a somewhat heavy atmosphere.

“Hello.”
“We were just playing quietly.”

Maria and Edyn greeted Baek Woo-jin, and Baek Hana stepped back slightly and said:

“This is my new friend.”

Baek Woo-jin’s gaze shifted to Nam Seo-hee.

“Okay.”
“……!!”

As soon as Baek Woo-jin opened his mouth, Nam Seo-hee’s eyes widened.
Her heart raced at the sweet voice that seemed to melt her ears.

“…… Ah, I, I’m… Nam Seo-hee.”

Baek Woo-jin nodded once and hung his coat on the coat rack, saying:

“I’ll prepare dinner, so go back and play.”
“Thank you so much!!”
“Professor. Can you cook pasta rosè……”

Slap—!!

“……?!”
“Please shut up.”

Maria dragged Edyn back into Baek Hana’s room.

At that moment, Baek Woo-jin, who was standing there blankly, asked Nam Seo-hee:

“Do you have something to say?”
“Ah… I, um… do, do you need… help……?”

What was she offering to help with when she had never cooked a meal in her life?
Nam Seo-hee was momentarily speechless at her own words.

“I’ll just accept your good intentions.”
“Ah…… yes, yes…. Then I……”

Nam Seo-hee quickly bowed her head and ran back into Baek Hana’s room.

Baek Hana, who had been hugging Baek Woo-jin’s waist from behind like a child, asked:

“What is it?”
“Is it okay if I help too?”
“…… No, go and play.”
“Pfft.”

Baek Hana stuck out her tongue playfully and turned her head away, pretending to be a little sulky, as she headed towards her room.

The corners of Baek Woo-jin’s mouth lifted slightly in a barely noticeable smile.

However, he didn’t notice.

That Baek Hana, who had run off like a fugitive, was now staring at his back with cold eyes.

That Baek Hana, who had been humming a tune as she happily ran to her room, was no longer humming.